1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of rail car systems and, more particularly, to a rail car sensor network.
2. Description of Background
Everyday, in almost every country, thousands of rail cars travel overland delivering passengers and goods. Typically, the rail cars travel as part of a rail car system or train. A typical train includes one or more engines that pull (or push) the rail cars to a particular destination. The location, speed and itinerary of each train are monitored by sensing a position of the engine. The position of the engine is determined through track based sensors or via Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking. Unfortunately, position information does not provide more detailed data concerning the individual rail cars.
At present, visual inspection is the method employed to determine a particular orientation of a rail car, a location/position of a particular rail car in a rail car system or train, whether a rail car is, or is not, part of a particular train, or a general condition of a rail car. Orientation and position information is important from a load perspective. Determining a particular orientation and/or relative location of a rail car enables transportation personnel to accurately determine various factors regarding train movement. Likewise, determining whether a particular rail car is, or is not, part of a train allows transportation personnel to accurately deliver and track goods in transit. Monitoring a general condition of a rail car, for example, bearing temperature, enables transportation personnel to monitor the effectiveness of maintenance cycles and proactively make any required repairs before damage results. Moreover, monitoring rail cars parked on a siding requires personal inspection. That is, the location of the rail car is located in a log, or operators of trains passing parked rail cars pass on the cars location to yard personnel. Visually monitoring for the above factors is labor intensive, time consuming and subject to various inaccuracies.